Oliver noted that Fox seems to prefer a certain type of woman to hire:

Once the changes were announced, people started talking. Some asked, “Do you think it had something to do with your race?” No. I definitely do not. Others asked, “Does it have something to do with your age?” Well, maybe. The business is very demographic-oriented. As one executive said to me, Fox Sports will look radically different in the coming years. I assume that means they want to look younger. It’s not difficult to notice that the new on-air people there are all young, blond and “hot.” That’s not to say that Erin isn’t capable. I think she’s very capable. She’s also popular on Twitter and social media, so I can see how that would also make her highly sought after. Still, covering the NFL is a big deal. Stations like ABC and NBC entrust their programming to veterans. So when people talk about all networks making a turn to a particular type of girl on the sidelines, it doesn’t hold water.

Oliver stated that she did go through a depression after her demotion but now realizes she still has a job to do.

At times I’m ashamed of how tragic I was making things out to be. It’s just a job change. I’m not out on the streets. I’m not unemployed. Everybody wins: Fox gets its coveted reporter in the lead role and I get to do my sideline job for my twentieth and final year. I’m also looking forward to developing stories that interest me and delivering long-form pieces for FS1. That kind of work is like being in reporter heaven.

Pam, no one who’s been in the business as long as you have wants to be demoted.

It sounds as if she’s trying to keep a stiff upper lip, and I guess she sees the glass half full instead of empty.

Anthony

The real tragedy is that after twenty years, Pam Oliver was still on the sidelines. She was senior enough to be in a booth as a main broadcaster during a game. The truth is that in the early 1990s, Oliver was the new hottie, just like Andrews is now.

The real issue is women and the glass ceiling in NFL broadcasting. No man would have been expecting to stay on the indelible forever unless that was his choice.